The present invention relates to the milking of animals, particularly dairy cows, and more particularly to a system that increases cow through put and at the same time reduces the physical exertion and facilitates movement of a person between a plurality of milking stalls as required to service animals in the stalls.
A milking parlor generally includes an array of individual milking stalls, each stall being designed to hold a cow or other dairy animal while being milked. To facilitate the operation, it is known to arrange the stalls in parallel rows separated by a central aisle. The stalls are accessible from the aisle so an operator in the aisle can service the animals in both rows of stalls. It also is known to have the stalls elevated relative to the floor level of the aisle. This allows an operator roaming the aisle or pit to service the animal without needing to repeatedly bend over.
The stalls can be arranged in tandem so the animals are head to tail, the stalls can be parallel where the animals are side by side, or the stalls can be at an angle such that the cows overlap each other and form a herringbone pattern. In the parallel arrangement the rear of the animal is towards the aisle. In either case the aisle or pit is relatively long. For example in a tandem arrangement of two rows of six animals each, the overall length of the aisle can have a length of 48 feet or more. In a parallel arrangement the same length can accommodate 18 to 19 animals in each row. In either case the animals are positioned so the operator can have direct access to the animal""s udder.
The milking operation generally involves several stages. After the animal has entered the milking stall, the udder first is cleaned in a pre-sanitizing operation often referred to as xe2x80x9cpre-dippingxe2x80x9d in preparation for milking. The milking apparatus is attached and the animal is milked. After milking, the apparatus is removed and the teats are treated in a post-sanitizing step often referred to as xe2x80x9cpost-dippingxe2x80x9d. Depending upon the degree of automation, one or more of these operations can be accomplished by mechanical means. For example, the pre- and post-dipping operations can be accomplished by dipping or by spraying apparatus and robotic apparatus can attach the milking cups. Generally, however, the milking operation is labor intensive.
It should be appreciated that with an aisle 48 feet in length, for example, a single operator is kept busy moving from one end to the other to service all the animals. Some animals may take longer to milk than others so the operator may be at one end of the aisle attaching the milking apparatus to a fresh animal while an animal at the other end of the aisle is done milking. Thus, the operator may have to move from one end of the aisle to the other to successively service the two animals. The effort of moving between animals is compounded should a fault occur such as when one or more cups of the milking apparatus is inadvertently removed from the animal prior to the completion of the milking operation. This could happen for example by the animal kicking the cups off or by the cups simply falling from the animal. In any event, the operator is in constant motion, sometimes back and forth for the full length of the aisle, in order to service the animals in the milking stalls.
Various devices have been developed to facilitate the movement of the operator between animals. For example U.S. Pat. No. 3,937,297 discloses a mobile milking chair that is controlled by the operator to place the operator in position to milk a series of cows. The chair is mounted on a platform and can move relative to the platform to position the operator adjacent a cow. In addition, the platform is movable along a track on the aisle floor to carry the operator from one end of the aisle to another.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,768,997 a frame suspended from a track attached to the ceiling of the milking barn carries the milking chair. The frame is movable along a track from one end of the barn to the other. The chair in turn is movable both vertically and laterally with respect to the frame to locate the operator adjacent the animal to be milked. Foot switches control movement of the frame and chair.
A problem inherent with milking chairs of the types described in these patents is that the operator is not free to access the animal without first activating controls for positioning the chair adjacent the animal. This may delay response time in addressing a fault occurring during the milking operation. Also, with operator controlled milking chairs the operator must react to an event in order to cause the positioning of the chair at a location where his services are needed. For example, the operator must react to the entry of a fresh animal into a milking stall by manually activating controls to reposition the chair adjacent this animal. Likewise the operator must manually react to some indication that milking is done or has been interrupted, locate the stall where the animal is located and then direct the chair to that location.
Another problem is that milking chairs movable along a track in the floor must contend with the fouling of the track with manure and other debris falling on and into the track from the elevated milking stall.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved milking system that lessens the physical effort required to service a large number of animals in a milking parlor.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved milking system that reduces some of the repeatable milking procedures such as pre-sanitizing or post-sanitizing an animal""s teats.
Yet another object is to provide a milking system that moves an operator to a selected milking stall and allows the operator direct access to the animal with a minimum of effort.
A further object of the invention is to provide an improved milking system using an in-floor track and drive system to deliver an operator to a selected milking stall wherein the track and drive are protected from external contaminants.
In the milking system of the present invention, the milking stalls in the milking parlor are arranged in parallel rows on either side of an aisle. The animals entering and leaving the milking parlor move in a one-way path from an entrance into the parlor to an exit. For example, the path of the animals on entering the milking parlor passes through an entry stall where each animal is held briefly so the pre-dipping procedure can be performed. After sanitizing the animal is directed from the entry stall and along the path to the next available milking stall. After milking, the animal is directed from the milking stall to an exit of the milking parlor. At the exit each animal is briefly held in an exit stall so the post-dipping procedure can be performed. Both the pre and post-dipping procedures can be performed either manually or by robot or automatic devices using appropriate washes, sprays or dips.
The aisle extending between the rows, preferably, is at a lower elevation than the level of the milking stalls. This aisle, hereafter referred to as the xe2x80x9coperator pitxe2x80x9d allows an operator to service an animal in the milking stall without stooping or bending. The floor of the pit has a slot and an endless chain travels in the slot for moving a platform along the pit. The platform has a working side facing a row of milking stalls that extends close to the pit wall. From the platform in the operator pit, an operator can access the row of milking stalls adjacent the working side of the platform without leaving the platform. The proximity of the working side of the platform to the pit wall provides a safety means that prevents an operator from inadvertently stepping from or falling off the platform at the working edge.
A controller acting independently of the operator to decide where the operator""s services are needed controls the movement of the platform. In this respect the controller receives input signals from a plurality of sources. The sources may include, for example, an occupancy sensor indicating when a fresh cow has entered a given milking stall and a sensor indicating when the milking is done or when a fault has occurred during the milking. Each of these events may initiate the movement of the platform from one stall to another.
The controller, prior to moving the platform, alerts the operator that the platform is going to be moved. After the operator acknowledges the alert, the controller moves the platform to the selected location. Both for safety reasons and sanitary reasons, provision is made for the slot opening in the aisle floor to be covered. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention the covering for the slot is fixed against longitudinal movement but is systematically lifted from and laid back into the slot to accommodate the movement of the platform.
Accordingly, the present invention may be characterized in one aspect thereof by a milking system comprising a milking parlor having an entrance and an exit. In the parlor a plurality of milking stalls are arranged along a one-way path of travel through the milking parlor from the entrance to the exit and at least one of the entrance and exit comprising a sanitation position including means for detaining an animal while a pre- or post-dipping procedure is performed on the animal.
In another aspect, the present invention may be characterized by a milking system wherein the milking stalls in the parlor are arranged in two parallel rows separated by an elongated operator pit extending substantially the full length of the parallel rows. Each stall is accessible from the pit and the stalls are at an elevated level relative to the floor level of the pit. Located in the pit is a guide extending substantially the full length of the pit. A platform in the pit is movable along the guide and has a working side facing at least one of the rows of stalls that extends to a wall of the pit. This allows an operator standing on the platform to have direct access to animals in at least one of the rows. Also, the proximity of the working side to the pit wall provides a safety feature to prevent the operator from stepping or falling off the working side and into the pit. A drive means is provided for moving the platform along the guide and stopping the platform adjacent a selected one of the milking stalls so the operator can service an animal at the selected milking stall.
Preferably, a sensor is located at each milking stall. The sensor is adapted to issue a signal on the occurrence of an event such as the entry of an animal to be milked into a milking stall, the disengagement of a milking cup from an animal in the milking stall or the completion of the milking of an animal in the milking stall. A controller is provided that can act in response to the signal to cause the movement of the platform or person mover to the milking stall that is the source of the signal.
In still another aspect, the present invention is characterized by a method for operating a milking parlor comprising:
a) arranging the milking stalls along a one-way path of travel from an entry stall to an exit stall; and
b) detaining an animal at one of the entry stall and exit stall to perform respectively one of a pre- and a post-dipping procedure on the detained animal.
In connection with this method, the milking stalls can be arranged in parallel rows separated by a central aisle and then moving a person mover along the aisle to a selected one of the milking stalls in response to the sensing of an event occurring at the selected stall. The event, for example can include one of the entry of an animal into a stall, the disengagement of a milking cup from the animal and the completion of the milking of the animal.